Boost to genetic disorder treatment: K’taka launches new research centre for rare diseases

To provide prenatal diagnosis for early identification of genetic disorders Increase capacity of diagnostic testing facility, including exome sequencing 

Bengaluru, August 09, 2022: The Karnataka government has launched the Research and Training Unit for Rare Diseases here to further strengthen diagnosis, counselling, and treatment, including developing service facility for prenatal diagnosis for early identification of genetic disorders in pregnancy. 

The foundation stone for the unit, which is an extension of the Centre for Human Genetics (CHG), was laid by Dr. Ashwath Narayan C.N., Minister for Higher Education; IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood, Government of Karnataka. 

“It is a matter of pride that CHG has taken an active role in implementing the National Policy on Rare Diseases, 2021, and is also among the 8 Centre of Excellence in the country for R&D of Rare Diseases. Scientists’ long-term goal is to provide solutions for questions & challenges,” Dr. Narayan said (Twitter Link) at the Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC). 

“Having a history of treating about 2500 families with genetic disorders annually across states in the past 20 years, the centre also holds regular educational modules in Kannada, English, and Hindi, raising awareness of human genetic disorders in PU colleges across Karnataka,” the Minister tweeted. 

The activities to be undertaken at the Research and Training Unit for Rare Diseases include comprehensive genetic counselling facilities for around 2,500 families with rare disorders, to be evaluated annually; increase capacity of diagnostic testing, including exome sequencing; and develop training and service facility for prenatal diagnosis for early identification of genetic disorders in pregnancy. 

It will also provide hands-on training in laboratory genetics and incubate startups in developing low-cost therapies for rare disorders along with conducting regular educational modules in Kannada, English and Hindi for raising awareness of human genetic disorders, their early recognition, and treatments available, among pre-university college students in the state.

The Research and Training Unit for Rare Diseases is an extension of the present CHG building, and will be around 40,000 sqft with three floors. 

The CHG, under the guidance of Founding Director Prof. H Sharat Chandra is recognised nationally as a Centre of Excellence for education, training, and research in genetics in relation to human health and disease, and for the past 20 years, has been providing high-quality genetic services to patients with rare diseases from all over the country. 

CHG Director, Prof. Jayarama S Kadandale, said, “The CHG has had an active role in developing the Rare Disease Policy at both the national and state levels.  The National Policy for Rare Diseases announced by the Government of India in April 2021 has identified CHG (along with Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health) as one of eight Centres of Excellence in the country.” 

Dr. Meenakshi Bhat, Associate Director, said, “Nearly 35,000 families with genetic disorders have been diagnosed and counselled in the past 15 years. The genetic laboratories at CHG provide diagnostic testing in around 5,000 patients per year.“ 

“The majority of these patients are from government hospitals in Karnataka and these services are provided free to BPL and other eligible patient families, and at cost to others,” Bhat said. 

The Karnataka government is confident that these initiatives will improve understanding and management of rare genetic disorders in the state and beyond. 

Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre launches nine innovative products 

The Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC) on the occasion also launched nine innovative products developed by startups, taking the number of such products to 45 over five years. 

“The Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre has made its mark globally and is recognised as the best innovation centre in the country. It has launched 36 products in the past, and today, we have launched nine products. So, we have launched 45 products developed over five years. I think this is a good achievement for any institution, which has been incepted very recently,” Managing Director, Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre, Dr Jitendra Kumar, said. 

“We have generated around 2,000 employments, with the incubated companies here. Around 50 startups are being incubated, which makes us the largest biotech startup hub in the country,” he said. 

The Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre is a joint initiative of the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology, and the Karnataka Government’s Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology. 

The centre works closely with the Karnataka Innovation & Technology Society (KITS), a nodal centre for implementing schemes of the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka, and its startup cell. It is a state-of-the-art translational research and entrepreneurship centre catering to all the needs of startups in life science.

Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)